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Japan is having a great 2018 Winter Olympics: Kodaira and Hanyu win respective Gold Medals

Japan is having a great 2018 Winter Olympics: Kodaira and Hanyu win respective Gold Medals

Sawako Uchida and Chika Mori

Modern Tokyo Times

The 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea is going swimmingly for Japan in Pyeongchang based on the current rich haul of ten medals. Indeed, while Japan was extremely unlucky not to win gold earlier, both Yuzuru Hanyu and Nao Kodaira have remedied this by each winning gold medals in their respective competitions. Therefore, for fans of sport in Japan, the 2018 Winter Olympics is a real treat.

Hanyu was widely expected to defend his Olympic title despite men’s figure skating being loaded by many fantastic ice skaters. He duly obliged and was followed home by his compatriot Shoma Uno who took silver. Hence, gracefulness backed by a highly proficient program meant that Hanyu wasn’t in serious danger because he can naturally take ice skating to a different level.

Hanyu said, “I have achieved what I set out to do and I have no intention of retiring.”

Uno gracefully said, “Hanyu has proved once again that he is No. 1. I’ll keep on chasing him and try and become a competitor that can close the gap.”

Similar to Hanyu, the female speed skater Kodaira showed similar guile and composure in collecting a gold medal in the 500 meters. This follows on from Kodaira winning a silver medal in the 1,000 meters. Equally important for Japanese speed skaters, Miho Takagi is also in a rich vein of form because she won silver in the 1,500 meters and took a bronze in the 1,000 meters.

Kodaira had to overcome the double Olympic champion of Lee Sang Hwa from South Korea who was in front of her adoring home crowd. Hence, Kodaira pushed herself to a new 500 meters Olympic-record of 36.94 in order to win gold.

Kodaira said, “There were times when I had not thought about winning gold, but still I feel like I’ve been rewarded. So many people have supported me, accepting me through good times and bad. I believe that all of those people made this possible.”

Lee Jay Walker at Modern Tokyo Times says, “It is hoped that a few more medals will flow for Japan. If not, then nobody can complain because the current crop-of-athletes are showing a great competitive spirit.”